MHA takes strong exception to use of Nepal telecom services

Rijiju will urgently approach Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to do the needful for expanding the Indian telecom services in this sensitive area.NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry has taken strong exception to the use of telecom services of Nepal by locals and security forces along the international borders in Uttarakhand, saying it may compromise country's critical security.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said he has personally seen during his two-day visit to Indo-Nepal and Sino-Indian borders in Uttarakhand that around 20,000 people living in upper reaches of Dharchula comprising areas like Kalanapani, Kuti, Navidang and Budhi use Nepal telecom services.

"To my utter surprise, I have discovered that security forces deployed in the forward areas also use mobile telephone services of Nepal as no Indian telecom networks functions there. This is a serious issue which may compromise out security," he told reporters here.

Rijiju will urgently approach Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to do the needful for expanding the Indian telecom services in this sensitive area.

"The use of Nepal telecom services is happening due to non-availability of Indian telecom network. We must start work immediately for improving the telecom services in all border areas where our people and forces use foreign network services," he said.

The Minister has also asked top Home Ministry officials to find out how Indian security forces are being allowed to use network of Nepal telecom violating rules and guidelines.

Rijiju had visited forward areas of Indo-Nepal and Sino-Indian borders on Sunday and Monday to review security situation there.

Local residents and even security personnel in those forward areas are using Nepalese SIM cards in border areas as no state-owned or private telecom company from India is providing services there.

Sponsored Stories

Subscribe to our Newsletters

After PSU banks, the government is likely to infuse capital in two chronically ill telecom PSUs BSNL and MTNL, and the Union Cabinet is likely to take a decision on 4G spectrum allocation to them by the third week of the current month after DoT places the note before it for consideration.

At a high-level meeting at the PMO late Tuesday, it was also decided that the two telcos will frame a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to reduce their employee strength, which will be followed by a reduction in the retirement age to 58.